Kindness remembered

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, September 6, 2005

A couple of weeks, ago I told you about Hurricane Alicia, and surviving the aftermath of that storm.

Our friends and neighbors came together in that time of need to lend a hand and give the help that we all needed. Now that helping spirit is in full swing in the Houston area.

Hurricane Katrina has devastated the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama, and at last count more than 250,000 evacuees are in Texas receiving food, shelter and the medical care they so desperately need. All it takes is for one person to help a stranger in need for no reason. That reminded me of a helping hand I got in 1969.

I was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, serving my last year with the Marine Corps. I spent almost every weekend in the Los Angeles area. During that time I was driving a very nice 1955 Chevrolet which needed a little TLC from time to time to keep it running.

Being 23 years old and trying to enjoy as much time away from the base as I could, I left LA on Sunday evening with just enough time to return to my barracks before midnight.

I was driving back on Highway 5 about 60 miles from base when my standard transmission locked up and would not shift into any gear.

There I was, stuck on the side of the road with time running out. Being from a family of mechanics, I always had tools in the car. Now, I was an average mechanic, but had never worked on a transmission, so I pulled it out right there on the side of the road in the dark and tried to fix it.

I was kneeling over the transmission covered with grease with only a small flashlight to see with when a pickup pulled up. An older man got out and asked me what the problem was. Well, I explained that the transmission was shot and would not shift gears.

He said he had fixed his son's transmission with the same problem. He went to work on it, and within 10 minutes had the shifter arm working again. He explained what caused the problem and said that the next time it locked up I didn't need to pull the thing out. It could be fixed from under the car.

He helped me re-install the transmission and I was on my way again. I made it back to base before daylight in time to shower and get dressed for work.

I can't remember his name anymore, but I remember his kindness. Helping a young Marine stranded on the side of the road was important to him.

If we could all help just a little when someone truly needed it this would be a much better place in which to live.